Press-frame for duplicating or printing apparatus



June 23, 1931. 1,811,691

PRESS FRAME FOR DUPLICATING 0R PRINTING APPARATUS R. HARRIS Filed June10, 1927 ZSI'LGGtS-Sht 1 mwsma. v \Nww June 23, 1931, R HARR|5 1,811,691

PRESS FRAME FOR DUPLICATING OR PRINTING APPARATUS Filed June 10, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1 931 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEROBERT HARRIS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOLITHOPRINTEX CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE PRESS-FRAME FORDUPLICATING OR PRINTING APPARATUS Application filed June 10, 1927,Serial No. 197,789, and in Great Britain August 11, 1926.

This invention relates to press frames for duplicating or printingapparatus, and particularly for photographic step-and-repeatcontact-printing machines, of the'type com-c 6 prising a unit-holder forcarrying a unit, such as a photographic negative or positive, a basemember (which is usually mounted to reciprocate in the machine to bringthe printing surfaces into contact), and a supporting '10 member thatcarries the unit-holder and is movably mounted on the base.

In press frames of this type proposed heretofore all adjustments oftheunit in relation to the base member and other associated parts 15 of themachine had to be performed when the unit-holder carrying the unit wasin the machine.

This invention has for its main objectto provide an improvedconstruction of press 20 frame of the type described which shall obviatethe necessity for such adjustments to be made after the unit has beenplaced in the machine, whereby an appreciable saving in time in theoperation of the machine is ob- 535 tained.

According .to an important feature of the invention, there is provided apress frame of the type described, characterized in that the supportingmember whereon the unitholder is adjustably carried, is so mounted onthe base member as always to occupy the same position when securedthereon, and to be readily removed therefrom, so that when replacedwhilst carrying the unit-holder it takes up automatically its desiredsetting, for the purpose of enabling the unit to be accuratelypositioned, for example by means of lay-marks, on the supporting memberout of the machine and then securing the support ing member in apredetermined position on the base member in the machlne.

According toanother feature of the inven-- tion, a press frame havingclamping means arranged adjustably to secure the unit-holder on thesupporting member, is characterized in that the clamping means are soarranged that when slack, but while still carried by one of saidmembers, they permit said unitholder to be adjusted on the supportingmember in two directions lying transversely (e. g.

at right-angles) to one another and also angularly in its own plane inrelation to the supporting member, Consequently, if the negativeispositioned out of true on the holding member this error can benegatived by corresponding adjustmentof the holding member on itssupport. That is to say, the negative need not be accurately positionedon the negative holder itself.

Conveniently, the clamping means slidingly engage one of said members inone direction thereof, and slidingly engage the other of said members ina direction transversely, for example at right-angles, to the first saiddirection.

According to yet another feature of the invention, a press frame as setforth above is characterized in that the base memberis arrangedslidingly to receive and support said supporting member, locating meansare arranged for automatically locating said supporting member on thebase member in two directions at right-angles to one anotherindependently of its support at the end of its sliding movement into itsoperative'position, and holding means are provided for securing thesupporting member on the base member in its locatedposition. Bytightening the said holding means the supporting member carrying theunit-holder with the unit positioned on the latter can be automaticallypositioned in its desired operative setting.

Conveniently, the supporting member is mounted on the base member by twoslideways, one at each side of the base, and said locating means aresituated between the slideways. j 7

Other features of the invention will be described hereinafter andpointed out in the claims.

One embodiment of the invention is diagrammatically illustrated by wayof example in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a bottomplan view of a press frame constructed according to the invention foruse in a photographic step-and-repeat contact-printing machine, parts ofthe frame being shown broken away;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 1 is a section taken in the line 4- 1 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section taken 011 the line 55 in Figure 1, and

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6(3 in Figure 1.

Figures 2, 3, at, 5 and 6 are each shown on a scale larger than that ofFigure 1.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings, a press frame for use in a photographicstep-by-step contact-printing machine comprises three principal parts10, 11, 12, namely, a negative holder 10 referred to above as aunit-holder, a slide or support 11 therefor, referred to above as asupporting member, and a base member 12 which is usually mounted in themachine. Each of these three members is in the form of an oblong frame,approxi mately equal in size, lying one on another with the slide 11 inthe middle, whereof the two shorter sides will be referred to as endsand the two longer ones as sides. lVhen in use the base 12 will usuallybe uppermost and will transmit pressure to the negative 13 carried on asheet of glass 11 1 at the underside of the negative holder, forpressing the negative against a sensitized metal plate.

Each side of the negative holder has in its face adjacent the slide twoslots 141- of T-sect'ion lying parallel with the ends, the two slots inone side being in line with the two slots in the opposite side andspaced apart equally from the centre line 50 of the holder passingthrough those sides. The corresponding sides of the slide 11 haveadjacent the holder 10 each an inward]y-directed lip 15 and four clamps(Figure 2) are provided, one for each slot, for engaging the lip. Eachof these clamps comprises a bolt 16 having its head movable in the crossof a T slot and on the stem of each bolt is an L-shaped plate 17, 18which can be secured by a nut 19 with one limb 17 bearing against saidlip 15 and its other limb 18 against the negative holder 10. By slidingthe bolts in said slots and along the lips the negative holder can beadjusted in any direction on the slide according to laymarks, an angularmovement of about 5 about the centre of the holder being generally isslid with the holder on to the base and secured in its end position, thenegative will be automatically correctly positioned in the machine. Theends of the slide are provided each with a tongue 20 (Figure of Lsecti0nextending from side to side of the slide, which tongues are receivedeach in a. corresponding groove 21 in the ends of the base 12. Thetongues 20 are a loose lit in the grooves and these tongue-and-grooveconnections 20, 21 serve as a coarse adjustment of the slide on the baseand also for holding these two parts together. In order to position theslide accurately in the direction of length of the slide, i. c., in thedirection transverse to its direction of sliding, the slide 11 and base12 are provided on the centre line 50 at the front and rear sides withtwo grooves 22, (F ig-- ures 1, 1- and 6), one at each side, arranged inline one with the other, and two iine-adjustment tongues 24:, 25, one ateach side, tapered each at one end, which fit accurately therein, therear line-adjustment tongue 21!: and groove considered in the directionoi? sli 1g into position indicated by the arrow in i igure 1 being widerthan the front. As illustrated, the groove 2 is provided on the slide11, and the tongue 24. 011 the base 12, whi st the groove 23 is on thebase 12- and the tongue 25 is carried by the slide. Alternatively bothtongues may be on the slide; owing to their difference in width thefront fincadjustment tongue 25 can readily pass through the rear groovewhen the holder is being positioned. Obviously both the grooves may beprovided on the slide and both the tongues on the base, it desired.

Two stops 26 (Figure 2) for arresting the slide 11 at the end of itsforward movement are provided on the base 12, one at each side of thecentre line at the front side of the base. These stops 26 are undercutto slant downwards and co-operate with correspondingly chamfered stops27 fixed on the front side of the slide 11. Two screw clamps 30 (Figureare secured on the rear side of the base, one opposite each of saidstops. These clamps comprise each a yoke piece 31 having two jaws, 32,33, one engaging under a shoulder 8st of a recess 35 in the base, andthe other being bevelled and bearing on an outwardly slanting shoulder36 on the slide 11, so that when held home by a nut 3'? on the clamp theyokes 81 not only press the slide 11 home against its stops 26, but alsoforce the opposed taces of the slide and base firmly together in adirection normal to them.

After adjusting the holder 10 and slide 11 so as to carry the negativein its correct posi tion, the same can be assembled in the machine onthe base member 12 aforesaid by a simple sliding movement and by asimple clamping movement, when the negative will be automaticallycorrectly positioned in the ill) machine and ready for being shiftedstep-bystep over the press plate.

The bodies of the frames 10, 11, 12 may convenientl be made ofaluminium, whilst the parts su jected to wear, such as the parts 26, 27,31, 34, 36, 22, 23, 24, 25, are preferably made of a harder material,such as steel.

The invention is not restricted to press frames for contact-printinmachines. Also, various modifications may e made in the details ofconstruction as described above without departing from the invention.For example, the number of stops 26 may be increased or decreased, andthe form of the tongue-and-groove guides 22, 24 or 23, 25 and clampingdevices may be changed.

I claim:

1. A press frame of the character described, comprising in combination abase member, a

supporting member 'detachably mounted on the base member, a unit-holderfor carrying a unit adjustably carried by said supporting member,clamping means for clampin said holder in its adjusted position on saidsupporting member, and holding means'for removably securing thesupporting member in its operative'position on the base member, locatingmeans for automatically locating said supporting member in its operativeposition on the base member in two directions at right angles to oneanother at the end of its sliding movement into its operative position,

which said holder can be adjusted on the supporting member in twodirections lying transversely to one another and also angularly in itsown plane in relation to the supporting member when said clamping meansis slack but is still carried by said holder or said supporting member.

2. A press frame of the character described, comprising in combination abase member, a supporting member detachably mounted on the base member,a unit-holder for carrying a unit adjustably carried by said supportingmember, clamping means for clamping said holder in its adjusted positionon said supporting member, and holding means for removably securing thesupporting member in its operative position on the base member, locatingmeans for automatically locating said supporting member in its operativeposition on the base member in two directions at right angles to oneanother at the end of its sliding movement into its operative position,which clamping means slidingly engage the said holder and its supportingmember one in. the direction of length of one of its sides,

and the other in a direction lying transversely of the first saiddirection.

3. A press frame of the character described, comprising in combination abase member, a supporting member detachably mounted on the base member,a unit-holder for carrying a unit adjustably carried by said supportingmember, clamping means for'clamping said unit-holder holder in itsadjusted positionon said supporting member, and holding meansfor'removably securing the supporting member in its operative positiononthe base member, locating means for automatically locating saidsupporting member in its operative position on the base member in twodirections at right angles to one another at the end of its slidingmovement into its operative position, which clamping means comprise aplurality of bolts carrying each a plate, which plates slidingly engageeach a lip on the sides of the supporting member, and the heads of whichbolts are slidable each in a slot that is formed in said holder andextends at right-angles to the lips. I

4. A press frame of the character described, comprising in combination'abase member, a unit-holder supporting member in the form of anaperturedframe member so carried thereby as to be slidable in its ownplane into and out of its operative position thereon, locating means forautomatically locating said supporting member in its operative positionon the base member in two directions at right-angles to one another atthe end of its sliding movement into its operative position, holdingmeans for securing the supporting member 011 the base member in itslocated position, and a unit-holder in the form of an apertured framemember adjustably carried by said supporting member and registeringtherewith. I

5. A press frame of the character described, comprising in combination abase member, a supporting 'member carried thereby by two slideways, oneat each lateral marginal portion of the base, so as to be slidable intoand out of its operative position thereon, locating means situatedbetween said slideways for automatically locating said supporting memberin its operative position on the base member in two directions atrightangles to one another at the end of its sliding movementinto itsoperative position, which locating means comprise a guide lying in onedirection and a stop operative in the same direction, holding meansforsecuring the supporting member on the base member-in its locatedposition, and a unit-holder adjustably carried by saidsupporting'member.

6. A press frame of the character described, comprising in combination abase ly locating said supporting member in its operative position on thebase member in two directions at right-angles to one another at the endof its sliding movement into its operative position, which locatingmeans comprise sto'psin the form of grooves on oneof I said members,tongues provided on the other the base member in two directions at rightof said members in the direction of sliding of the supporting member andarranged to enter said grooves, an undercut abutment on the base member,and a tapered stop on the supporting member for co-operating with saidabutment and thereby arresting the supporting member at the end of itssliding movement into its operative position, holding means for securingthe supporting member on the base member in its located position, and aunit-holder adjustably carried by said supporting member.

7. A press frame of the character described, comprising in combination abase member, a unit-holder supporting member so carried thereby as to beslidable into and out of its operative position thereon, locating meansfor automatically locating said supporting member in its operativeposition on the base member in two directions at rightangles to oneanother at the end of its sliding movement into its operative position,holding means in the form of a clamp for securing the supporting memberon the base member in its located position, which clamp is arranged topress the supporting member in one direction in its own plane againstsaid locating means and also simultaneously in a transverse directionagainst the adjacent face of the base member, and a unit-holderadjustably carried by said supporting member.

8. In a press frame of the character described, the combination with asupporting member in the form of a frame arranged to be slid by a tongueand groove engagement on to and off from a base member, a unit-holderalso in the form of a frame slidable on said supporting member in twodirections ar ranged face to face with the supporting member, whichunit-holder is lying transversely one to the other and also adjustableangularly in its own plane in relation to the supporting member, andclamping means for clamping said holder in its adjusted position on thesupporting member.

9. A press-frame of the character de scribed, comprising in combinationa base member and a unit-holder structure detachably and slidablymounted thereon, which said structure comprises two registering framemembers one slidable on and adjustable angular-1y in its own plane'inrelation to the other, one of which frame members constitutes a holderfor a unit and the other of said frame members constitutes a support forsaid holder on the base member, clamping means for clamping said holderin its adj usted position on the supporting frame member, holding meansfor removably securing the unit-holdingstructure in its operativeposition on the base member, and locating means for automaticallylocating said supporting frame of member in its operative position onangles to one another at the end of its slid lng movement into itsoperative p osition.

In testnnony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROBERT HARRIS.

1 iii)

